3 killed, thousands without power in Northwest windstorm

3 killed, thousands without power in Northwest windstorm

NICHOLAS K. GERANIOS

Nov. 18, 2015

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — Cleanup crews took to the streets Wednesday in Washington state after a powerful storm killed three people, cut power to more than 350,000 residents and flooded rivers.

The winds on Tuesday exceeded 100 mph in some areas of the Inland Northwest, where fallen trees were blamed for the deaths.

A woman in her 50s was killed when a tree fell in Spokane. A man in his mid-20s died when a tree crushed his car as he was driving in Snohomish County, authorities said. Their identities were not yet available.

The third victim, identified by authorities as Carolyn M. Wilford, 70, died of head injuries after a tree landed on her car on Highway 904 about 15 miles southwest of Spokane.

Crews in Spokane were working to clear at least 175 fallen trees that blocked streets and slowed the morning commute.

Allen Kam, with the National Weather Service in Seattle, said rain last weekend may have saturated soil, making it easier for the winds to topple trees.

Avista Corp. was trying to restore power to more than 142,000 customers, most in Spokane County and northern Idaho.

The utility said customers who lost power Tuesday should be prepared to go three to five days without electricity. Crews were expected to work around the clock until service was restored.

"This is the largest crisis Avista has experienced in the company's 126-year history," Avista said in a news s release.

An estimated 700 miles of overhead power lines were damaged by the wind storm, it said.

In Portland, Oregon, an 80-year-old woman spent the night trapped in bed after a tree fell on her home and missed her by inches during the wind storm.

When firefighters arrived, the woman told them she had a few scratches but wasn't hurt.

She told officials that she had gone to bed earlier than usual Tuesday because her home lost power. It wasn't long before the tree landed near her.

Public schools were closed in Spokane, nearby Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, and smaller districts. Also shut down were Gonzaga, Whitworth, Washington State-Spokane and Eastern Washington universities.

Gusts reached 100 mph near Wenatchee and 80 mph near Mattawa. Spokane International Airport reported a top wind speed of 71 mph. The airport near Pullman saw 69 mph winds.

The National Weather Service said the winds would give way to rain and chillier temperatures.

Puget Sound Energy said more than 30 transmission lines were badly damaged and about 100,000 customers were still without power early Wednesday. The Snohomish County Public Utility District tweeted that about 130,000 of its customers lacked power.

The strong winds and extended downpour caused fewer problems in Oregon, but roughly 2,000 Portland General Electric customers remained without power in the Portland area Wednesday afternoon.

Wind gusts around 100 mph rattled areas west and north of Denver, blowing snow from Tuesday's wintery storm across roads and knocking out power in some spots.

The storm dumped over a foot of snow in some parts of the plains and strong winds created snow drifts several feet high.